olfaction
Detecting airborne molecules
Olfaction is the sense of smell—the ability to detect and distinguish odors.
The term appears primarily in scientific and medical contexts: Olfaction declines with age.
The adjective olfactory is more common in everyday use: olfactory nerves, olfactory receptors.
Olfactory perception
- aromaPleasant distinctive smell
- odorPerceived atmospheric emission
- scentAirborne odor detected
- fragrancePleasing olfactory quality
stench · reek · whiff · redolence · pungent · acrid · foul · pleasant
Breathing holes in face
- nasalOf the nose
- mucosaMoist organ lining
- ciliaHairlike cellular projections
- epitheliumTissue covering body surfaces
receptors · turbinates · cribriform · snout · nose · sinuses · airways · inhalation
Pleasing olfactory quality
- notesBrief written records
- accordHarmony between parties
- bouquetArranged cluster of blooms
- muskAnimal-derived fragrance base
floral · woody · citrus · blend · top note · base note · eau de toilette · cologne
Characteristic taste quality
- tasteFlavor perception ability
- palateOral cavity ceiling
- umamiFifth taste sensation
- sweetnessSugary taste quality
bitterness · sourness · saltiness · mouthfeel · sapidity · trigeminal · aroma · food
Species-specific chemical messengers
- territoryLand under jurisdiction
- predatorOrganism that consumes others
- preyAnimal being hunted
- foragingSeeking wild food sources
hunting · courtship · breeding · navigation · migration · species-specific · innate · tracking
Evoking involuntary memory
- nostalgiaLonging for the past
- reminiscenceRecalling past experiences
- flashbackInvoluntary past memory
- recollectionRecalled mental image
evocative · trigger · associative · autobiographical · hippocampus · engram · retrieval · recognition
smell
Olfactory perception
fragrance · stench · reek · whiff · redolence · pungent · acrid · foul · pleasant · faint
nostrils
Breathing holes in face
epithelium · receptors · turbinates · cribriform · snout · nose · sinuses · airways · inhalation · sniff
fragrance
Pleasing olfactory quality
musk · floral · woody · citrus · blend · top note · base note · eau de toilette · cologne · extract
flavor
Characteristic taste quality
sweetness · bitterness · sourness · saltiness · mouthfeel · sapidity · trigeminal · aroma · food
pheromones
Species-specific chemical messengers
foraging · hunting · courtship · breeding · navigation · migration · species-specific · innate · tracking · homing
Proustian
Evoking involuntary memory
- nostalgiaLonging for the past
- reminiscenceRecalling past experiences
- flashbackInvoluntary past memory
recollection · evocative · trigger · associative · autobiographical · hippocampus · engram · retrieval · recognition · episodic
odorant
Substance emitting scent
- chemosensoryPertaining to chemical detection
- receptorsProteins binding specific molecules
- moleculesBonded atomic groups
volatile · neurons · synapse · biochemistry · aromatic · ester · aldehyde · ketone · compound · spectrometry
- Nosenose, nostril, nostrils, nares, nasal
- perceptionsee, vision, seeing, senses, observing
- sensessight, smell, taste, hearing, touch
- taste and smelltaste, smell, flavor, gustation, sweet
- Flavor Sciencearoma, bitterness, sweetness, sourness, saltiness
- perfumerymusk, middle notes, vanilla, essential oils, fragrance oils